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(N0ModeLI I I M. G. FARMER.

APPARATUS FOR REFINING COPPER BY ELECTRICITY.

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33 W attomw b J STATES UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

MOSES e. manna, on NEW roan, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR REFINING COPPER BY ELECTRICITY.

$PECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 322,170, dated July 14,1885.

Application filed April 18, 1885. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Mosns G. FARMER, a citizen of the United States,residing in New York, in the county and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Refining Copper byElectricity, of which the following is a speciiication.

The invention relates to thcclass ol'apparatus employed for refiningcopper by electrolysis. It has been customary to place copper in animpure state'in electrolyzing vats and to connect the same with a sourceof electricity. The pure copper is deposited upon suitable cathodes,while the impurities remain with the mass of copper constituting theanodes ,or else fall to the bottom of the vats.

The object of the present invention is to provide means for maintainingthe anode plates clean and free from the collection upon their surfacesof the impurities, andtalso to cause an agitation of the liquidelectrolyte suf- -ficient to promote the electrolytic action.

The invention consists, essentially, in placing the impure copper in thevats in the form of plates which are held in an inclined position. Thepositive pole of a source of electricity is connected with a p a e atthe end of the vat, from which the upper ends of the vats incline, andthe negative pole with the plate at the opposite end. 'In' this mannerthe upper surfaces of the plates become cathodes and the under surfacesanodes. When a current is passed through the vat pure copper is takenfrom the anode surface of each plate and deposited upon the cathodesurface of the confronting plate. In this manner the one side of eachplate is gradually reduced while the other is built up, and ultimatelyeach plate will be transformed from its impure state to a plate of purecopper. As the copper is removed from the anode side of the plates theimpurities fall to the bottom of the vat, for the reason that the platesslant downward so that the anode suranode side. A suitable supply-pipecommunicates with them all, and air is forced either constantly or atintervals into them. The air escaping through the perforations serves tokeep up a circulation of theliquid electrolyte, removing the free acidfrom the cathode sidesof the plates,allowing a portion of the solutionwhich contains more of the salt to take its place. This more high i yacidified portion is caused to impinge against the anode side of theconfronting plate, and thus the process is continued. At the same timethe air-currents by impinging against the under sides of the plates washof:

. the impurities which would otherwise adhere thereto, and theseimpurities are allowed to fall to the bottom of the vat.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse section of a vatinvolving the fea- 7o tures of the invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan ofthe same. Fig. 3 is an end view showing the wall of the vat in section.

Referring to the figures, A represents the wall of the vat,which is ofany convenient form and construction. In the side walls of the vat thereare formed slanting grooves a a, which are designed to receive the edgesof platesB B and hold them in position. The impure copper is formed intotheflat plates B,which are inserted in the vats, their edges beingplaced in the grooves, and they stand thus in an inclined position. Thebottoms of the plates preferably rest upon suitable transverse bars, I)I), which extend preferably across the bottom of the vat. The mud due tothe impurities collects between these bars. A system of perforated pipes0 c c of 'nolrconducting material is applied to the vats, one pipe beingplaced along the base or bottom of each plate. Each pipe 0 is connectedwith a supply-pipe, O, by a connecting portion,c,and any suitable meansare employed for forcing'air into the pipe 0,

and thus through the pipes 0 into the vat at the bases of the plates.The function and operation of these pipes have already been sufficientlyexplained. The electrolyte employed is some suitable solution of coppersalts,and its density and temperature are so regulated with reference tothe density of the current as to give a good reguline deposit of purecopper. Very little if any of the liquid can pass from one compartmentformed by the plates to another.

A suitable source of electricity has its positive pole conhected, asindicated, with the plate (fi e end of the series from which the platesincline-'that is to say, the anode end, and the negative pole isconnected with the cathode end. When thus connected the copper is takenup from the anode sides of the plates and deposited upon the cathodesides until finally the entire plates are transformed from impure topure copper. Upon the upper or cathode surfaces of the respective platesthere may be placed strips of wood or other material which will not beacted upon by acids. These serve to divide the deposited copper intorectangular blocks or plates convenient for handling. This portion ofthe invention, however, is described and claimed in another applicationof even date herewith.

I claim as my invention 1. The hereinbefore-described process ofrefining copper by electrolysis,which consists in placing plates of theimpure metal in inclined positions, constituting the under surfacesanodes and the upper surfaces cathodes, and dissolving the pure metalfrom the anode surfaces and depositing it upon the cathode surfaces byelectrolysis.

2. The hereinbefore-described method of refining copper,which consistsin placing plates of theimpurc metal in inclined positions, constitutingthe upper surfaces cathodes and the under surfaces anodes, dissolvingfrom theanodes and depositingrupon the cathodes pure metal byelectrolytic action, and washing the anode surfaces by forcing jets ofair, gas, or steam upward against the same.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed myname this 16th day ofApril, A. D. 1885."

MOSES G. FARM ER.

itnesses:

WILLIAM B. HEA'rHER'roN, A. BOURNE.

